Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh has earned national recognition for its performance in urban cleanliness and municipal management in the Swachh Survekshan 2025-26. President Droupadi Murmu honoured the state’s cities at the national awards ceremony held in New Delhi.
Urban Development and Energy Minister A.K. Sharma welcomed the achievements, describing them as evidence of improving urban management and collective efforts across the state.
Lucknow retained its position among India’s three cleanest large cities, while Varanasi secured a place among the country’s top three cleanest riverfront cities. Ghaziabad emerged as the cleanest city in Uttar Pradesh.
Sharma said the achievements reflected the changing urban landscape of Uttar Pradesh and the government’s commitment to improving sanitation, civic infrastructure and public services. He credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Swachh Bharat Mission and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s guidance for giving fresh momentum to urban cleanliness initiatives.
The minister said the national recognition was a collective achievement of sanitation workers, municipal employees, elected representatives, administrative officials and citizens who had contributed to keeping cities clean.
He particularly acknowledged the contribution of sanitation workers, saying their dedication and hard work remained central to improving urban cleanliness.
Sharma said the state government was continuing to strengthen solid waste management, scientific waste disposal, clean public spaces and basic urban infrastructure to improve the quality of life in cities.
He urged urban local bodies and citizens to sustain the momentum and work towards setting higher standards in sanitation and municipal services.
Lucknow Mayor Sushma Kharkwal, Principal Secretary P. Guru Prasad, Secretary and Director of Urban Local Bodies Anuj Kumar Jha, Municipal Commissioner Gaurav Kumar and other senior officials were present on the occasion.
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